packed full of memories

Thursday, June 28, 2007

While at my parents over spring break, we came across this gem. (Sorry to break it to you sisters, but I brought it home). In our family, you see it, you want it, you better take it before your sisters beat you to it! :)

I know it doesn't look like much, however, this bag is packed full of memories. Literally. It is the bag my mother used to take to the beach every year and to the pool everyday during the summer. My mother used all of her old scraps and lined it with vinyl to protect it from water and sunscreen. I told my mother I wanted to replace the strap. Of course, she thinks it adds to the charm of the bag. She is correct. Mothers always know best.

Well, Libby had an idea. She wanted to use all of her old dresses that my mother made her, and have me make a bag for her. I resisted for a while, thinking it would be better to save them. However, Libby convinced me that it would be a great idea to give her old dresses a new life.

I just couldn't cut the bumble bee one.

Putting that rotary cutter to the dresses was really hard!

Organizing the squares was her job.

Yesterday, we picked out the lining. Up soon, a new bag for Libby already packed full of memories.

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comments

i love it! my mom used to take t shirts we bought from our travels and when we outgrew them, make pillows out of them. moms are so clever when it comes to giving new life to old memories! i am sure one day, libby will do the same with her daughter!

I would have had a really hard time cutting up those dresses too. Good for Libby for knowing a bag to use everyday was a better tribute to her dresses than storing them in a box. Can't wait to see it finished.

What a great idea and a perfectly-timed post (for me). I've saved all the clothes (and fabric scraps) I've made for my daughter over the years. I intend to make a quilt for her one day, but I really like the idea of a bag, too.

I have got to build up the nerve for this wonderful charm quilt idea - I keep thinking I'll just do it - I mean, what am I saving these little outfits for? :) If I can't cut them I sure can't give them away...thanks for the inspiration.

Very neat! Nice way to treasure those memories of 'dresses mama made for me when I was growing up....' Am saving my girl's dresses to for a future project too. Recently, I also went through my african outfits that don't fit anymore but can't bear to part with and a quilt will be made out of them sometime in the near future.

Go Libby! What a wonderful way to make something old new! Nothing ever comes back the way it was to begin with. She will get so much enjoyment out of the bag and it will be a great reminder of all the beautiful dresses!

Thats so great! Its awesome, actually. Much better than a quilt in my opinion. Its more functional, and give a chance to tell everyone the story behind it, because you KNOW they will ask where you got it!

What a beautiful bag and idea, but I totally understand how hard it would be to cut the dresses up. But thinking about it, seeing pieces of the dresses is a lot better than having them packed away out of sight! I may do the same as my youngest is leaving for college next month and she'd love something like that!

What a fabulous idea! My family has all sorts of old clothes and scraps of blankies and stuff hanging around... just waiting to be sewn up into something new! We'll have to make memory totes for the wee ones...

Thank you so much for posting about this memory and project...it's such a wonderful idea. My sister passed away last October and I have been hoarding her clothes and my 4-year-old niece's clothes to make a memory quilt for her but this is a fantastic project we could do together. Just her summer clothes and Mommy's summer clothes, too. Now all I need to do is learn how to sew. Thanks again for such a great post.

Sorry for the late comment - I am trying to catch up but I am SOOO behind in my blog-reading!! But what an amazing project. I think it is SO great that you are passing your passion for creating on to Libby and that you include her in so much of what you do. What a gift!